Worlds of Sound

The Story of Smithsonian Folkways

About the Book

A man, a microphone, and a dream

When he opened his tiny recording studio in New York in 1940, Moses Asch had a larger-than-life dream: To document and record all the sounds of his time. He created Folkways Records to achieve his goal, not just a record label but a statement that all sounds are equal and every voice deserves to be heard. The Folkways catalog grew to include a myriad of voices, from world- and roots-music to political speeches; the voices of contemporary poets and steam engines; folk singers Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie and jazz pianists Mary Lou Williams and James P. Johnson; Haitian vodoun singers and Javanese court musicians; deep-sea sounds and sounds from the outer ring of Earth's atmosphere. Until his death in 1986, Asch—with the help of collaborators ranging from the eccentric visionary Harry Smith to academic musicologists—created more than 2000 albums, a sound-scape of the contemporary world still unequalled in breadth and scope. Worlds of Sound documents this improbable journey. Along the way you'll meet:

A young Pete Seeger, revolutionizing the world with his five-string banjo The amazing vocal ensembles of the Ituri PygmiesNorth American tree frogsElla Jenkins's children's musicLead Belly singing "The Midnight Special"The nueva canción of Suni Paz.

Folkways became a part of the Smithsonian Institution's collections shortly after Asch's death. Today Smithsonian Folkways continues to make the "worlds of sound" Moe Asch first dreamed of 60 years ago available to all. The Folkways vision is expansive and all-inclusive, and Worlds of Sound advances its rich and lively spirit.

Educator and Librarian Resources

Critical Praise

“Worlds of Sound tells a tale that sings, drums, plays, chirps, rings, trills, and thrums. Thank you, Richard Carlin, for telling the Folkways story-one of the most vibrant, exciting tales of all time.” — Mickey Hart, musician and author

“Asch’s unwavering commitment to social justice and his passion for folk music inspired his massive Folkways Recordings, which are a national treasure of recorded sound. Richard Carlin eloquently captures Asch’s life and his recordings in a book that features stunning photography and artwork — William Ferris, co-editor of Encyclopedia of Southern Culture

“Few music histories are as all-encompassing as this one, but whether he’s writing about Bob Dylan or the Carter family, Carlin shows a rare combination of authority and passion that makes any reader want to pull out these dusty recordings and feel their magic once again.” — Charles R. Cross, author of Room Full of Mirrors: The Biography of Jimi Hendrix

“Richard Carlin’s Worlds of Sound is an excellent book. So many of the artists featured in this book are familiar to me, and it was a treat to learn their stories through the history of Folkways Records. Carlin really finds the details that make the music come alive” — Roger McGuinn, cofounder and front man, The Byrds

“Former Folkways Records producer Carlin provides the first intimate history of Folkways Records. All libraries seeking a well-rounded music collection need to own this lavishly illustrated portrait of an American institution.” — Library Journal

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